Nature's Cure for Heart Disease?

Dr. Lori Mosca

Is there any evidence from a medical standpoint that resveratrol, an ingredient supposedly present in red grapes and muscadine grapes, is particularly effective at reversing plaque in arteries and improving heart health?

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Researchers are currently examining the role of components in red wine such as flavonoids, resveratrol, and other antioxidants in reducing heart disease risk. Over the past several decades research has revealed that resveratrol may have antiplatelet properties that can reduce blood clots and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. However, the direct effects of resveratrol remain to be proven in human clinical trials. Therefore, the American Heart Association does not recommend wine as a cardioprotective agent.

It is important to remember that excess alcohol can raise your blood pressure, add substantial calories to your diet, and has the potential for serious side effects such as abuse. But you don't need to drink wine to get plenty of resveratrol — it is also found in fruits and vegetables such as grapes, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, and peanuts, which are all part of a heart healthy diet.

Hypertension expert Dr. Lori Mosca MD, PhD, answers your frequently asked questions on hypertension symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, medication, and management. Dr. Mosca is the director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and is associate professor of Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

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